From the Studio: A Little Bakery Called Sunbeam
Something warm is baking.
If you've been following Sneaky Beans since the beginning, you might already be familiar with The Sunbeam Loaf.
Inspired by those slow, golden mornings when the sunlight finds its way through the windows, The Sunbeam Loaf has always been about finding a little warmth and happiness in the everyday.
But somewhere along the way, a little thought crossed my mind.
I wonder who The Waiting Cat's neighbour might be...
And just like that, The Sunbeam Bakery began to take shape.
A bakery full of little details.
One of my favourite parts of illustrating is imagining the little stories happening within a scene.
What if... Oatmilk is a pâtissier?
As I started sketching the bakery, I found myself adding more and more tiny details.
From the bakery displays to the little signs, I wanted every corner to feel like there was something waiting to be discovered.
And then there's the head chef. A rather grumpy-looking ragdoll who takes her baking very seriously. Smiles, apparently, are not on the menu. But customers love that.
I love creating illustrations that you can look at more than once and still notice something new.
Slowly, the bakery began to feel less like a drawing and more like a place I wished I could visit.
A little postcard from the bakery.
Once the illustration was complete, I knew I wanted to turn it into a postcard.
After experiencing the joy of holding my very first printed postcards, there was something especially lovely about seeing another little piece of the Sneaky Beans world come to life on paper.
Printed on beautifully textured eggshell paper, The Sunbeam Bakery Postcard captures all the tiny details of the illustration, with a soft, nostalgic finish that feels just right for our little bakery.
It's something you can keep, display, or send to someone who could use a little sunshine in their day.
And there's a little secret.
The bakery has a neighbour!
Place The Sunbeam Bakery Postcard beside The Waiting Cat Café Postcard, and the two illustrations come together to form one continuous little street.
A café, a bakery, and a whole neighbourhood slowly coming to life. (shhh... I already have plans on who is going to be their new neighbour!)
It's a small detail, but one that makes me incredibly happy.
A little note on the back.
Turn the postcard over, and you'll find three little words: The First Bake.
Just like The First Brew on The Waiting Cat Café postcard, it's a small detail that holds a special meaning.
The First Bake marks the beginning of The Sunbeam Loaf Bakery, and another little chapter in the growing world of Sneaky Beans.
I wanted to leave a little reminder of where this bakery's story began, tucked away on the back of the postcard.
Something to look back on someday, when hopefully, this little neighbourhood will have grown into a whole street of stories, illustrations and places waiting to be discovered.
A little loaf to take along.
Of course, I couldn't let the bakery exist only on paper.
Inspired by the bakery and its freshly baked loaves, I created The Cat Loaf Carabiner (냥이 식빵 카라비너).
Shaped like a little loaf of bread (which is also shaped as a cat?!), it carries a miniature piece of The Sunbeam Bakery, ready to accompany you on your everyday adventures.
And just like its neighbour, The Waiting Cat Café, the bakery has its very own little menu card.
I wanted the packaging to feel like something you might actually pick up from a tiny bakery, rather than simply a backing card for a carabiner.
It's these little touches that make the creative process so much fun for me.
Taking an imaginary place and finding new ways to make it feel just a little more real.
One little neighbourhood, one sketch at a time.
When I first started drawing for Sneaky Beans, I never imagined these illustrations would slowly become an entire little neighbourhood.
What began with a cosy café has now grown to include a bakery, each with its own character, tiny details and stories waiting to be discovered.
And one of the loveliest parts is seeing how these separate illustrations can come together.
There's something incredibly satisfying about placing the two postcards side by side and watching the little street connect.
Two drawings, created separately, now sharing the same imaginary world.
Until the next chapter.
There's still so much I'd love to draw, and so many little corners of this world waiting to be explored.
For now, I hope The Sunbeam Bakery brings a little warmth, a little nostalgia, and perhaps a little sunshine into your day.
And if you happen to stop by, I hope you'll stay for a loaf and a cup of coffee.
